Ham Hocks and Cornbread

Various Artists

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Ham Hocks and Cornbread Review

by Stewart Mason

With 118 tracks spread over four jam-packed CDs, the budget-priced Ham Hocks and Cornbread is yet another inexpensive but worthwhile compilation from the reissue label JSP. Subtitled "The pounding, pulsating roots of rock & roll," this set consists primarily of classic jump blues sides of the '40s and early '50s. Artists range from famous folk like Johnny Otis (represented by the rollicking big-band instrumental "Barrelhouse Stomp") and Memphis stalwart Rufus Thomas (performing "Gonna Bring My Baby Back" under the pseudonym Mr. Swing) to a wide variety of names known only to completists. Songs range from Duke Ellington sideman Johnny Hodges' suave "Castle Rock" to James Von Streeter's greasy blues honker "Chitlins," complete with corny shouted interjections from the band. Remastering, as always with JSP releases, is a bit spotty, with several tracks clearly taken from vinyl, but any concerns are limited by the rarity of these songs, along with the wallet-pleasing price. For the casual fan or interested newcomer, Ham Hocks and Cornbread is tough to beat.

Track Listing - Disc 1

Title/Composer Performer Time Stream
1
Little Willie Littlefield 03:00 SpotifyAmazon
2
Johnny Otis 02:46 SpotifyAmazon
3
Rabon Tarrant 03:00 SpotifyAmazon
4
Goree Carter 02:24 SpotifyAmazon
5
Big Bob Dougherty 02:18 SpotifyAmazon
6
Gatemouth Moore 02:50 SpotifyAmazon
7
Jimmy Smith 02:37 SpotifyAmazon
8
Andrew Tibbs 02:32 SpotifyAmazon
9
David Van Dyke 02:42 SpotifyAmazon
10
Rosco Gordon 02:36 SpotifyAmazon
11
Walter Brown 03:07 SpotifyAmazon
12
Billie McAllister 02:46 SpotifyAmazon
13
Frank Culley 02:59 SpotifyAmazon
14
Jack Cooley 02:21 SpotifyAmazon
15
Sherman Williams 02:44 SpotifyAmazon
16
Clifford Blivens 02:41 SpotifyAmazon
17
Joe Lutcher 02:27 SpotifyAmazon
18
Wynonie Harris 02:43 SpotifyAmazon
19
Wild Bill Moore 02:54 SpotifyAmazon
20
Marvin Phillips 02:11 SpotifyAmazon
21
Jimmy McCracklin 02:43 SpotifyAmazon
22
Bull Moose Jackson 02:44 SpotifyAmazon
23
Big Jay McNeely 02:35 SpotifyAmazon
24
Big Jim Wynn 02:09 SpotifyAmazon
25
Tommy Brown 02:56 SpotifyAmazon
26
Red Prysock 02:30 SpotifyAmazon
27
Floyd Dixon 02:47 SpotifyAmazon
28
Joe Morris 02:50 SpotifyAmazon
29
Carlton Campbell 02:35 SpotifyAmazon

Track Listing - Disc 2

Title/Composer Performer Time Stream
1
Tiny Bradshaw 02:44 SpotifyAmazon
2
Sonny Thompson 02:37 SpotifyAmazon
3
Jackson Brothers 02:18 SpotifyAmazon
4
Wild Bill Moore 02:43 SpotifyAmazon
5
Paul "Hucklebuck" Williams 03:13 SpotifyAmazon
6
Harold Tinsley 02:54 SpotifyAmazon
7 Jimmy Witherspoon 02:44 SpotifyAmazon
8
Rene Hall Sextette 03:01 SpotifyAmazon
9
T.J. Fowler 02:32 SpotifyAmazon
10
Red Prysock 03:11 SpotifyAmazon
11
Carl Davis 02:29 SpotifyAmazon
12
Jimmy Nelson 02:22 SpotifyAmazon
13
Cecil Payne 02:52 SpotifyAmazon
14
Eddie Mack 02:26 SpotifyAmazon
15
Pinocchio James 02:28 SpotifyAmazon
16
Joe Dyson Orchestra 02:42 SpotifyAmazon
17
Freddie Mitchell 02:42 SpotifyAmazon
18
Roy Brown 02:27 SpotifyAmazon
19
Cousin Joe 02:39 SpotifyAmazon
20
Kid Tanner 02:44 SpotifyAmazon
21
Eddie Chamblee 03:17 SpotifyAmazon
22
Arbee Stidham 02:40 SpotifyAmazon
23
Little Eddie 02:20 SpotifyAmazon
24
Ike Carpenter & His Orchestra 02:14 SpotifyAmazon
25
Piney Brown 02:43 SpotifyAmazon
26
Fats Noel 02:27 SpotifyAmazon
27
Jimmy Crawford / Frank Motley 02:49 SpotifyAmazon
28
Buddy Banks 02:40 SpotifyAmazon
29
L.C. Williams 03:00 SpotifyAmazon

Track Listing - Disc 3

Title/Composer Performer Time Stream
1
Hal Singer 02:58 SpotifyAmazon
2
Rufus Thomas 02:27 SpotifyAmazon
3
Roy Hawkins 02:35 SpotifyAmazon
4
H-Bomb Ferguson 02:27 SpotifyAmazon
5
Dickie G. Davis 02:39 SpotifyAmazon
6
Percy Mayfield 02:39 SpotifyAmazon
7
Sylvester Mike 02:38 SpotifyAmazon
8
Roy Milton 02:17 SpotifyAmazon
9
Fred Jackson 02:27 SpotifyAmazon
10
Smiling Smokey Lynn 02:11 SpotifyAmazon
11
Jo Jo Adams 02:57 SpotifyAmazon
12
Big John Greer 02:39 SpotifyAmazon
13
Zuzu Bollin 02:52 SpotifyAmazon
14
Big Al Sears 02:46 SpotifyAmazon
15
Jack McVea 02:51 SpotifyAmazon
16
Gene Phillips 02:27 SpotifyAmazon
17
Duke Henderson 02:37 SpotifyAmazon
18
Calvin Boze 02:23 SpotifyAmazon
19
Morris Lane 02:26 SpotifyAmazon
20
Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson 02:58 SpotifyAmazon
21
Freddie Kohlman 02:35 SpotifyAmazon
22
Felix Gross 02:39 SpotifyAmazon
23
Paul Williams 02:35 SpotifyAmazon
24
King Perry 02:42 SpotifyAmazon
25
Johnny Hodges 02:49 SpotifyAmazon
26
Sonny Parker 02:56 SpotifyAmazon
27
Joe Turner 02:36 SpotifyAmazon
28
Todd Rhodes 02:42 SpotifyAmazon
29
Peppermint Harris 02:03 SpotifyAmazon
30
James Von Streeter 02:51 SpotifyAmazon

Track Listing - Disc 4

Title/Composer Performer Time Stream
1
Jimmy Rushing 02:24 SpotifyAmazon
2
Stomp Gordon 02:28 SpotifyAmazon
3
Crown Prince Waterford 02:45 SpotifyAmazon
4
Grant "Mr. Blues" Jones 02:27 SpotifyAmazon
5
Maxwell Davis 02:36 SpotifyAmazon
6
Little Maxie 02:37 SpotifyAmazon
7 Hal Singer 02:57 SpotifyAmazon
8
B.B. King 02:34 SpotifyAmazon
9
James Von Streeter 02:37 SpotifyAmazon
10
Bernie Hardison 02:37 SpotifyAmazon
11
Tommy Douglas 02:33 SpotifyAmazon
12
Tommy Ridgley 02:33 SpotifyAmazon
13
Rudy Greene 02:43 SpotifyAmazon
14
Charlie Singleton 02:23 SpotifyAmazon
15
Lloyd Smith's Gut-Bucketeers 02:52 SpotifyAmazon
16
J.T. Brown 02:39 SpotifyAmazon
17
Little Richard 02:18 SpotifyAmazon
18
Freddie Mitchell 02:58 SpotifyAmazon
19
Tucker Coles 02:23 SpotifyAmazon
20
Robert Tucker 02:54 SpotifyAmazon
21
Earl Sumner Jackson 02:17 SpotifyAmazon
22
Elmore Nixon 02:26 SpotifyAmazon
23
Little Willie Jackson 02:49 SpotifyAmazon
24
Herman Manzy 02:27 SpotifyAmazon
25
Plas Johnson 02:41 SpotifyAmazon
26
Hubert Robinson 02:46 SpotifyAmazon
27
Jimmy Forrest 03:00 SpotifyAmazon
28
Lester Williams 02:18 SpotifyAmazon
29
Goree Carter 02:17 SpotifyAmazon
30
Joe Houston 02:27 SpotifyAmazon
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